Monday 14th April 2008

Tyred Of The Same Old Seats?

'Pirelli' Golf GTI gets a grip

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VW has announced that it will be bringing its special edition Golf GTI Pirelli to the UK – and with it some of the strangest seats in the business. The original GTI Pirelli was based on a Mark 1 Golf and was launched in May 1983 and featured the classic ‘P’ alloy wheels.

This year the Pirelli edition returns as a Mark V Golf which, like the Edition 30, has output raised from 200 to 230 bhp. The new GTI Pirelli reduces the standard car's 0-62 mph time of 7.2 seconds to 6.8 seconds while the top speed rises from 146 mph to 152 mph.

Instead of the 13” alloys on the original GTI Pirelli, this version gets 18s and if you look very carefully they too incorporate the ‘P’ logo – although I must admit it’s easier to find the dude with the glasses in a Where’s Wally? book. You also get body-coloured front splitter, side skirts and rear bumper, as well as smoked rear lenses and a Pirelli badge.

Inside is where it starts to get a bit weird, with the seats looking like they are made from recycled tyres. They are in fact half-leather and have the Pirelli tread pattern imprinted on them. Yellow stitching contrasts against the black leather of the seats, sports steering wheel and handbrake.

The new Golf GTI Pirelli is available to order now with the first vehicles set to arrive in the country in June.  Prices will start at £22,555 on-the-road for the three-door model equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, rising to £24,385 for the five door model fitted with a six-speed DSG gearbox.

[VxDuncan]

So on a hot summers day after you been sat in them a while you get up and look like roadkill with a tyre mark up your back?

Nice.

[scotty_917]

How many different 'Specials' does the Golf now have to sporn???

[hugoagogo]

so high-pressure salesmen will be marketing these to people who want to keep a low profile? slick!

[drewcole81]

ummm.... that'll date well.... nearly as good as making some wheels that look like teddy bears.

Nice car, but i'd get the seats out quick sharpe.

[massive1]

Will they make you feel tyred ...........................ill get me coat

[Tsiakosmantis]

Brings a new meaning to wiping your arse on a piece of rubber!

[mc_blue]

Those seats look dreadful.

[bencollins]

mc_blue said:

Those seats look dreadful.

agreed, absolutely treadful.

[3sixty]

mc_blue said:

Those seats look dreadful.

I quite like them

[VladD]

bencollins said:

mc_blue said:

Those seats look dreadful.

agreed, absolutely treadful.

Somewhat deflated. Still, probably the fastest FWD MPV out there.

[jon-]

Lets hope the car doesn't wear Pirelli P6000s or it will be "coming soon to a ditch near you"

No comment on the seats - or the article title for that matter!

[Oli S]

It's nice to be able to 'air' our opinions though...

[lgmini]

I like it too, colour coded skirts should have been their from standard and although im not thrilled about the seats, they are better than the tartan. Should keep 18' monzas too, they suit the car.

[cableguy]

Imagine the skid marks if you suffer from a little flatulence while driving...

C.

[wab172uk]

Would have expected to see those seats on Barryboys web site.

Truely hideous

[ChristianZS]

Looks absolutely awful

[ultegra]

Nice try Pirelli - trying to conjure up some brand loyalty and all. The shame is that in 25 years time these will have gone the same way as the original Mk 1 Pirelli cars - they will be tooling around on hard as feck Eastern Bloc rubber in the hands of pauper wannabes.

Edited by ultegra on Monday 14th April 12:51

[olib007]

Why would you buy that when for the same price you could get - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/452849.htm, a Noble 2002 M12 GTO in satin black with only 24k on the clock, i know which i'd get...

[jon-]

Oli S said:

It's nice to be able to 'air' our opinions though...

While you might be feeling the 'pressure' of your job, i feel you are on a 'roll' and even though some of the articles have been 'treading' on a beaten path the quality of the site is still quite 'gripping'.

'jon'

[waynepixel]

All a bit gimmicky if you ask me, if you what to make a special addition car, make it lighter, and with more power and better handling components, LSD would be a good start and loss then crap seats.